Nov 6, 2014
(Started Jul 01, 2010)

Perceived effectiveness for Muscle spasms:
Moderate

Perceived effectiveness for Anxious mood:
Major

Side Effects:
Mild

Adherence:
Always

Burden:
Not at all

Dosage:
2.5 mg
Daily

Advice & Tips:
It works well. However, due to the amount of meds I need to take overall, in the (roughly) last year or so, my care team (including myself), at my request, has been working to gradually decrease the dosage and frequency of this med taken in the daytime for anxiety and muscle spasms. I also take a scheduled dosage of this med at bedtime to help with insomnia, however since this system won't allow me to enter the same med twice (at a different time and dosage and for a different purpose), I added the same med at bedtime on a scheduled dosage by using the brand name (Valium).

Precautions

Diazepam may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Diazepam should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to diazepam, or if you have:

myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness disorder);

severe liver disease;

narrow-angle glaucoma;

a severe breathing problem; or

sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep).

If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take diazepam. Before taking diazepam, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

a history of mental illness, depression, or suicidal thoughts or behavior; or

a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

FDA pregnancy category D. Diazepam can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use diazepam while you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication.

Diazepam can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

The sedative effects of diazepam may last longer in older adults. Accidental falls are common in elderly patients who take benzodiazepines. Use caution to avoid falling or accidental injury while you are taking diazepam.

Do not give this medication to a child younger than 6 months old.

Do not drink alcohol while taking diazepam. This medication can increase the effects of alcohol.

Diazepam can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Interactions

Before taking diazepam, tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, other sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by diazepam.

Before taking diazepam, tell your doctor if you take any other seizure medications, or if you are using any of the following drugs:

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with diazepam. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Other Names

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

What is the most important information I should know about diazepam?

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to diazepam, or if you have myasthenia gravis, severe liver disease, narrow-angle glaucoma, a severe breathing problem, or sleep apnea.

This medication can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use diazepam if you are pregnant.

Before taking diazepam, tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, asthma or other breathing problems, kidney or liver disease, seizures, or a history of drug or alcohol addiction, mental illness, depression, or suicidal thoughts.

Do not drink alcohol while taking diazepam. This medication can increase the effects of alcohol.

Never take more of this medication than your doctor has prescribed. An overdose of diazepam can be fatal.

Diazepam may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Diazepam should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

Warning

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.